Sapporo, Japan: The organising committee of the 8th Asian Winter Games, Sapporo 2017, has published the first edition of the AWG Sapporo News. With introductions by Japanese Olympic Committee President Tsunekazu Takeda, who is Honorary President of the organising committee, and by the Mayor of Sapporo and President of the organising committee, Fumio

Ueda, the newsletter includes a report from the OCA General Assembly in Manila in January and from the 65th Sapporo Snow Festival.

The annual snow festival attracts visitors from around the world. This year's event was held from February 5-11 and was attended by 2.4 million people.

The 8th AWG will take place in February 2017 and is expected to attract 1,200 athletes from 30 National Olympic Committees.